The stuffed Lions that travelled with the team during their ill-fated Euro 2016 campaign have been consigned to storage but as Allardyce reflected on Adam Lallana’s 94th-minute victor in his first game as national boss, he held a newly-acquired memento in his hand.
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His goal drought continued on Sunday when England were indebted to a late Adam Lallana goal to secure their 1-0 win over Slovakia in Trnava.
Allardyce said he “can’t stop” Rooney from dropping into midfield and the player has a “lot more experience at worldwide football” than he does.
“It is all about that final pass, putting a bit more care into it, but like I said we played well and could have won two or three-nil”. Yes, he’s not to forget we want him to score goals.
Often cutting an isolated figure at the spearhead of England’s attack, Kane was happy with his own display even if he is still without a goal since the friendly victory over Turkey in May.
“People might talk now or if I don’t score in the next five or six games, it doesn’t bother me”.
That jarred with previous assertions that he would be guided by Rooney’s use at Manchester United, where Jose Mourinho has used him as an advanced number 10.
“It was a good battle up there and we created some good chances, I had some half-chances that on another day could have sneaked in but overall I was happy with the way things went”.
This tactic appeared to contradict assertions from Allardyce in the build-up to the clash that he viewed Rooney as an attacker and intend to utilise him further forward than his predecessor Roy Hodgson had done during Euro 2016. “I’m pretty clear on what I’m comfortable with but also I know to take that role wasn’t something I think I’ve got the experience for”, he said. He read it very well, we won the game and dominated the game, outplaying the opposition.
“But I haven’t asked what their biggest fear is”.
“I must admit, he did play a little deeper than I thought he’d play today, but I was pleased with his performance”. I wanted to be positive and tell them what the future is.
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“It was a tough game with the heat and the running, but I am getting fitter and fitter”.
